Pet waste scoops that permit a user to scoop pet waste and pet litter and sift the pet litter such that it is returned to its original location such that only the pet waste is retained by the scoop are well known and there have been a number of commercially successful pet waste scoops. Exemplary pet waste scoops generally include a handle for manipulating the scoop attached to a body. The body generally defines an open end opposite a closed end. The open end generally includes a lip that extends outwardly from the body a distance greater than an opposing surface of the body. The lip is generally configured for scooping the pet waste and litter as is generally understood. The body further includes a surface having a number of slits or apertures therein. The slits and apertures are sized and spaced from one another such that when the user scoops the pet waste and surrounding litter, the pet waste is retained within the interior of the scoop defined by the body while the litter is sifted through the slits or apertures and back into its original location such as, for example, a litter box.
These known prior art devices suffer from a number of disadvantages. For example, known pet waste scoops typically provide a gripping surface of the handle near the open end of the body. Accordingly, the user's hands may be disadvantageously positioned such that the user's hands may become soiled by the pet waste during the scooping thereof. In addition, known prior art scoops do not adequately trap large pieces of pet waste, and these large pieces of pet waste can preclude or inhibit the sifting of the litter through the slits or apertures such that it takes the user an inordinate amount of time to sift the litter and pet waste. Accordingly, oftentimes a user will have to manipulate the scoop or even the waste such that the slits or apertures are not clogged. Again, this may lead to the user having his or her hands soiled when using prior art scoops. Finally, the bars defining the slits or apertures in the body of prior known pet waste scoops are typically flat and thus retain a portion of the pet litter even after sifting. Accordingly, this retained portion of pet litter is susceptible to becoming stuck to the sifting bars and thus clogging the slits or apertures for subsequent uses, or the retained pet litter may be moved along with the scoop to another location after use and thereafter may undesirably fall from the scoop at this other location such that this other location becomes soiled with pet litter thereby requiring further clean up on the part of the user.
It therefore would be desirable to provide pet waste scoop that is relatively simple in construction and operation and that does not suffer from the foregoing recited disadvantages. Accordingly, a pet waste scoop having a handle advantageously positioned at a predetermined distance form an open end of the body of the scoop is desired. Further, a scoop that is configured and adapted for handling relatively large amounts of pet waste is additionally desired. In addition, a pet waste scoop that is configured such that the pet litter does not become stuck or otherwise retained within the scoop is likewise desired.